The Midriff Islands are home to thousands of sea lions, mobulas, whale sharks and more. We will dive our way around these islands while learning about this ecosystem known as the Galapagos of Mexico. Together we will create a photo/video story of our week, including an expedition to snorkel with whale sharks! Dr. Sanchez and crew will be running daily research projects and involving divers with everything from collecting plankton to discussing ecosystems, whale sharks, sea lions and more. This is sure to be a once in a lifetime experience as we dive, snorkel, hike and kayak our way around the Midriff Islands. We will board The Quino El Guardian on Sunday July 16 for 7 nights of exploration. We disembark the vessel on the morning of Sunday July 23, 2017. Contact us for full travel details.

This Midriff Islands Scuba Diving Expedition is special as you can send your certified kids/teens with us or join the expedition! We realize that not all parents dive, nor have the time during the summer that our kids/teens have so we are making this trip parent optional. We will fly into Phoenix and take a shuttle across the boarder to Mexico directly to embark at 5:00 PM in Puerto Penasco. From here we travel for 7 days throughout the Midriff Islands documenting the expedition while working with our scientists and crew. Here we will have experiences with thousands of Sea Lions, Giant Groupers, Schools of Fish, Octopus, Mobulas, Mantas, Nudibranchs and snorkeling with WHALE SHARKS! We will work with Dr. Sanchez on citizen science and storytelling with our cameras. We will be running photo/video programs in which everyone on board will be participating in storytelling workshops and be creating/documenting their expedition. A 5mm wetsuit and hood is recommended. We need to arrive by Noon in Phoenix on July 16 to catch our group shuttle.

About Annie: Award winning producer, underwater photographer, author, and speaker, Annie Crawley gives the ocean a voice through her mission to reach audiences about our underwater world. Originally from Chicago, Annie’s life changed when she took her first breath underwater as a scuba diver. As a scuba diving instructor, artist, storyteller, and member of the Women Divers Hall of Fame, she travels the world with her underwater cameras in hand, focusing on documenting life below the surface.

About Dr. Carlos Armando Sánchez-Ortiz: Dr. Sánchez-Ortiz specializes in Conservation biology in reef ecosystems. He is a Professor-Researcher at the Autonomous University of Baja California Sur (UABCS), La Paz, BCS and works as a marine biologist and with molecular genetics. For 25 years he has been doing research in the Gulf of California, Mexican Pacific and Oceanic Island.

He is currently director of the UABCS Research Program for the Conservation of Reef Fauna, developing studies on: a) biodiversity in reef ecosystems and description of new species; B) ecology of communities in reef ecosystems; C) evaluation of the health status of reef ecosystems and their environmental services; and d) scientific underwater photography.

He continues to prepare students in scientific activities and exploring ways to communicate science to society, regarding the wonders of these Mexican seas and the need to conserve marine nature for future generations.

The Midriff Islands Scuba Diving Expedition will be aboard the Quino El Guardian, a 90-foot (27-meter) boat with air conditioning for your comfort. The Quino has 5 cabins (4 with 4 beds and 1 cabin with 2 beds), which can accommodate up to 16 guests.

All the cabins have a drawer and a bed with a privacy curtain for each person. There are 4 comfortable bathrooms with full-size showers, and each bathroom is assigned to one cabin so guests can leave their personal items inside.

The Quino El Guardian has a galley that comfortably accommodates all passengers and includes a projector and a screen for presentations. In addition, there is a salon with sofas, a TV and a computer table. There is also a large, shaded sundeck with lawn chairs and bean bags for relaxing between dives or for enjoying the stars in the night sky.

In the back of the boat, you’ll find a large dive deck organized with gear storage for all your diving equipment and a spacious camera table.

There is also a dive platform that gives you access to two inflatable tenders. These will ferry you to the dive sites and back to the boat. All safety equipment required is on the vessel.

This expedition is for either certified divers or snorkelers. The trip cost is $2300 per person plus airfare to Phoenix, $125 for round trip shuttle to and from Mexico, park fee of $28 and crew gratuity which is standard at 10-15%. If you or your children would like to become certified scuba divers you can learn more about our scuba camps here and/or please contact us for more info!